Butler, the Philadelphia area native who went to high school (LaSalle College High School) with PSU strength coach Craig Fitzgerald, is, by most accounts, fiery and intense. Butler would prefer the term "competitive" but we are splitting hairs here, people.

The change in jobs -- Butler goes from defensive backfield coach to coordinating the defense -- is going to require more decision-making, more play-calling, and more organizational skills from Butler. And during the course of the game, every second counts.

But Butler said Thursday his competitive streak, something that fuels him, will remain ever-present on the sideline. And he made it clear he is up to the task of replacing Ted Roof, who left Penn State Wednesday to accept the defensive coordinator position at his alma mater, Georgia Tech.

"I think I'm prepared to do that,'' said Butler, talking about his increased role as a play-caller and decision-maker for O'Brien's defense, which ranked second in the Big Ten in points allowed (19.1 points per game) and was a major reason why the Lions finished 8-4.

"I understand what I have to do. … Some guys will see my demeanor on the sideline and they may misunderstand that, you know, I'm incredibly competitive.''

Butler said he also said he strives to be incredibly honest with his players. To change tactics, or approach, would be a mistake, he said.

"Players and co-workers can stiff out a phony in a heartbeat, you just gotta be yourself,'' said Butler, whose been a college coach since 1997, with stops at Catholic University, Midwestern State, Texas State, Harvard, Minnesota and South Carolina.

''If I showed up to practice one day and I had my hands folded and I was very quiet, the kids would look at me and say, 'Who's this clown?' They can see through that.''

Some key points:

Ted Roof left his job as Penn State defensive coordinator to take the same job at his alma mater, Georgia Tech. John Butler, PSU's secondary coach last season, is the Lions' new defensive coordinator.

**Butler said the Penn State coaching makeover -- Roof leaving, O'Brien promoting Butler -- took place quickly, all in the space of one day: Wednesday.

"At some point yesterday morning, I guess Billy and Ted had a conversation about what they were going to do,'' said Butler, who added he then met with O'Brien and was informed of O'Brien's intention to promote him.

**Butler sounded excited about working with longtime Penn State defensive assistants Larry Johnson Sr. (defensive line) and Ron Vanderlinden (linebackers) -- two holdovers from the late Joe Paterno's staff. Let's be honest: It's hard not to notice that O'Brien passed over those two coaches to select Butler, who also did a lot of work with the Lions' special teams last season..

"They're fully invested in everything that's happened in the past, on the field, and everything that we did last year and everything that we're going to do moving forward,'' Butler said of Johnson and Vanderlinden.

**Butler will continue to work with PSU's defensive backs, either the corners or the safeties, and not just coordinate the defense.

Said Butler: "I'm going to maintain a coaching role, I'm not going to be a walk-around coordinator.''

**The defensive backfield coaching position had not been filled as of Thursday afternoon and Butler said that would be O'Brien's decision.

Butler said he considers Roof a friend and mentor and said the 2013 defense will be similar in style because Roof and Butler share the same defensive philosophy.

"I think we're going to be multiple, we're going to be aggressive, we're going to be simple enough that are players are going to play really fast,'' Butler said.

"One of the biggest things that we're going to do is we're just going to try and create problems for the offense.''

Butler also said PSU's returning players, young and old, are positioned to be more successful this season after spending a year in the systems installed by O'Brien and Roof; especially since Butler does not plan on making a lot of changes.

"We're teaching the same class this year and it's basically like repeating a college-level class,'' Butler said.